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Original poster

to think my atheist dh silly to give something up for Lent

43 replies

honeyhive · 20/02/2009 22:50

Dh has announced plans to give up sugar in his drinks for Lent.
Am I being unreasonable to think he is being a bit silly as he is an atheist?

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 21/02/2009 10:01

It seems a very odd thing to get worked up about. And to call it wrong seems extreme. Just as saying that people who aren't Christian shouldn't celebrate Christmas. Completely agree with the posters who say that these traditions are part of our culture and therefore available to all.

TheFallenMadonna · 21/02/2009 10:02

And of course you should only eat pancakes on Tuesday if you plan to fast for the following six weeks - fast mind - not just give up chocolate or something wasy like that...

Babbity · 21/02/2009 10:10

My husband, when he was at university, gave up, in successive years:

  1. croissants
  2. brandy
Reallytired · 21/02/2009 11:09

I can't see what the problem is. Does it matter whether this man believes or not. If he wants to give up something for lent then that is his business.

Having an athetist give up sugar for lent is not going to affect whether a christian is saved or not. Whether athetists go to heaven or not is something decided by God and really no one else's business.

piscesmoon · 21/02/2009 11:20

I can't see a problem-Lent happens to be a convenient length of time.

Sassybeast · 21/02/2009 12:34

He's being a hypocrite but there are worse things than being hypocritical really.

Helen31 · 21/02/2009 13:01

Thanks for the link steviesgirl - I assume that you won't be celebrating the pagan pre-lent Shrove Tuesday yourself then?

Good thing about being an atheist is you get to decide for yourself what you think is the right thing to do. I would assume the OP's DH has decided he would benefit from cutting down on sugar and this is a convenient timeframe to do it in, and when other people are doing similar so moral support.

It does surprise me that this is upsetting to anybody to be honest. Do pagans get annoyed about other religions misappropriating their festivals?

I just say bring on the creme egss...

MadreInglese · 21/02/2009 13:08

Good grief, whatever next? Atheists celebrating Christmas perhaps?

TinkerBellesMumandFiFi2 · 21/02/2009 15:20

"Lent IS religious if it's an event in the Bible! Hello!"

Erm, no, the story of Jesus in the wilderness is in the Bible, the tradition of fasting or giving something up before Easter is not in the Bible, it is a tradition that Christians have developed over centuries.

steviesgirl · 21/02/2009 16:04

Of course Lent is religious. Like you've said yourself, it's something CHRISTIANS have developed and Christians are religious, or could I be wrong?

TinkerBellesMumandFiFi2 · 21/02/2009 16:08

It's a Christian tradition, not a Biblical celebration. Just because Christians do it doesn't make it religious, but then it depends on your definition of religious, which is a whole other discussion.

TinkerBellesMumandFiFi2 · 21/02/2009 16:10

"something CHRISTIANS have developed and Christians are religious"

Christians could lay claim to a lot of things and call them religious on that basis.

steviesgirl · 21/02/2009 16:18

LOL!!

Helen31 · 21/02/2009 19:44

Aah TinkerBelle, fancy you not realising that anything discovered/invented (or indeed done) by a group of Christians (I'm not part of the club, so don't know the minimum number required for something to qualify) is automatically religious.

Anyway, isn't the point not so much that anybody is disputing that Lent is an established Christian tradition, but rather that Christians can't really expect to claim any sort of copyright over it?

jordylass · 10/03/2009 16:07

It's a bit rich to accuse non Christians of hijacking parts of the Christian faith, when most (if not all) off the Christian festivities have been tagged on or overtaken those already taking place.

Lent is not in the bible and was not observed by the first century Christians. It is thought to come from a 40 day abstinence for a Babylonian goddess named Tammuz www.thercg.org/articles/ttmol.html

It was probably a time of short and fasting (not through choice) before spring when preserves from the year before were running out and before new growth was available or hens were laying www.schooloftheseasons.com/lent.html

AMumInScotland · 10/03/2009 16:25

I feel totally not-bothered if atheists or those of other faiths want to give something up "for Lent", equally if they want to celebrate on Christmas Day, Easter Day, Shrove Tuesday, or any other date which has significance in the Christian calendar. I feel just as not-bothered if they choose not to mark those dates, or to use them to do something else entirely.

As others have said, Christianity was happy to "borrow" other religious festivals, so if you'd like to borrow them back, feel free.

Niecie · 10/03/2009 17:05

If he is planning to give up for Lent he better get a move on - we are already 2 weeks into it.

I don't think it is a big deal either. Forgetting the religious/Christian implications of it for a moment it is as good a time as any to give something up. The advantage of now is that you have a defined time between now Easter. It is always good to exercise some will power and self control occasionally. You also have the knowledge that you aren't alone in your willpower exercise and other will be less likely to raise an eyebrow or tempt you.

The feeling when you get to the end and realise you haven't given in to temptation is a reward in itself.

MarlaSinger · 10/03/2009 17:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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